Russell Williams
Well-Known Member
Over the years I've come to increasingly dislike the The Sound of Music song which talks of how children must be carefully taught to hate. Children and adults hate without anybody teaching them . From their parents children learn what and whom is to hate
Adults are very quick to decide who was in the in group and who is in the outside group and to find ways to belittle and reject those are considered to be in the outside group. As a teacher I have seen fifth-grade students frequently exhibit this behavior. What can parents do to help make children more accepting and loving of those around them.
Parents can model the behavior of focusing on the positive things about other people rather than on the negative things. When visitors have left the house do parents say nice things about the departing visitors or make nasty, snide comments about the dress, behavior, or lifestyles of the visitors. If there are children the house the children will be listening and learning. After ending a phone call and hanging up do the parents talk about how nice the person is, or at best say nothing, or do they make negative and belittling comments about the person who made the phone call. If there are children the house the children will be listening and learning.
Whenever possible parents and all adults should try to see the glass of other people as half-full rather than half-empty. It is often hard model loving behavior for your children. Try to say nice things about the other people in your life, not only to their faces but behind their backs. Model love and acceptance of human differences that in no way harm you then you'll be modeling love and acceptance in front of your children and they are more likely to spend much of their lives seeking the good in people rather than focus on the usually unimportant but perceived to be negative aspects of other people.
Adults are very quick to decide who was in the in group and who is in the outside group and to find ways to belittle and reject those are considered to be in the outside group. As a teacher I have seen fifth-grade students frequently exhibit this behavior. What can parents do to help make children more accepting and loving of those around them.
Parents can model the behavior of focusing on the positive things about other people rather than on the negative things. When visitors have left the house do parents say nice things about the departing visitors or make nasty, snide comments about the dress, behavior, or lifestyles of the visitors. If there are children the house the children will be listening and learning. After ending a phone call and hanging up do the parents talk about how nice the person is, or at best say nothing, or do they make negative and belittling comments about the person who made the phone call. If there are children the house the children will be listening and learning.
Whenever possible parents and all adults should try to see the glass of other people as half-full rather than half-empty. It is often hard model loving behavior for your children. Try to say nice things about the other people in your life, not only to their faces but behind their backs. Model love and acceptance of human differences that in no way harm you then you'll be modeling love and acceptance in front of your children and they are more likely to spend much of their lives seeking the good in people rather than focus on the usually unimportant but perceived to be negative aspects of other people.
